US 12,016,716 B2
Stationary intraoral tomosynthesis imaging systems, methods, and computer readable media for three dimensional dental imaging
Jianping Lu, Chapel Hill, NC (US); Otto Z. Zhou, Chapel Hill, NC (US); Andrew Tucker, Cary, NC (US); Jing Shan, Chapel Hill, NC (US); and Brian Gonzales, Raleigh, NC (US)
Assigned to Surround Medical Systems, Inc., Morrisville, NC (US)
Filed by Surround Medical Systems, Inc., Morrisville, NC (US)
Filed on Jun. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/342,396.
Application 17/342,396 is a continuation of application No. 15/423,743, filed on Feb. 3, 2017, granted, now 11,051,771.
Application 15/423,743 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2017/016011, filed on Feb. 1, 2017.
Application 15/423,743 is a continuation of application No. 15/205,787, filed on Jul. 8, 2016, granted, now 9,907,520, issued on Mar. 6, 2018.
Application PCT/US2017/016011 is a continuation of application No. 14/741,041, filed on Jun. 16, 2015, granted, now 9,782,136, issued on Oct. 10, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/333,614, filed on May 9, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/143,443, filed on Apr. 6, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/013,181, filed on Jun. 17, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2021/0338180 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 6/51 (2024.01); A61B 6/00 (2006.01); A61B 6/06 (2006.01); A61B 6/58 (2024.01); H01J 37/244 (2006.01); A61B 6/02 (2006.01); A61B 6/08 (2006.01); A61B 6/40 (2024.01); A61B 6/46 (2024.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); G01T 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 6/512 (2024.01) [A61B 6/06 (2013.01); A61B 6/4411 (2013.01); A61B 6/51 (2024.01); A61B 6/583 (2013.01); H01J 37/244 (2013.01); A61B 6/025 (2013.01); A61B 6/08 (2013.01); A61B 6/4007 (2013.01); A61B 6/464 (2013.01); A61B 6/5258 (2013.01); A61B 6/587 (2013.01); A61B 2090/367 (2016.02); A61B 2560/0223 (2013.01); A61B 2560/0406 (2013.01); G01T 7/005 (2013.01); H01J 2237/1501 (2013.01); H01J 2237/2482 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An intraoral tomosynthesis system for three-dimensional (3D) imaging of an object, the system comprising:
a spatially distributed x-ray source array comprising one or more focal spots;
a control unit comprising a power supply and control electronics configured to control the spatially distributed x-ray source array, wherein the control unit is interconnected to the spatially distributed x-ray source array;
a collimator disposed between the spatially distributed x-ray source array and the object, the collimator comprising an aiming cone and a collimator plate; and
an intraoral detector and intraoral detector holder;
wherein the collimator plate comprises one or more apertures that are each configured to collimate the x-ray radiation emitted from a corresponding focal spot of the spatially distributed x-ray source array to an overlapping area of an intraoral detector without any mechanical motion of the spatially distributed x-ray source, the collimator plate, or the intraoral detector;
wherein the intraoral detector is a digital detector that is synchronized with x-ray exposure from the spatially distributed x-ray source array to record one or more x-ray projection images during one or more scans;
wherein each of the one or more x-ray projection images is generated by the x-ray radiation emitted from the one or more focal spots of the spatially distributed x-ray source array; and
wherein a plurality of magnets is disposed on the first end of the intraoral detector holder to magnetically couple the intraoral detector holder to the aiming cone.